The Edmonton Oilers’ 2025-26 season doesn’t resemble the path of the team’s two trips to the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 or 2025. In those seasons, a veteran-laden club spent the first portion of the schedule getting healthy and finding roles for the long playoff road. This year’s model will have at least one rookie, possibly more, playing an important role.

In 2024 or 2025, the Oilers didn’t make additions in net, but did add help on defence and at forward. What will this year’s deadline bring?

Count on a goalie

The Oilers may have already acquired the goalie who will accompany Stuart Skinner during next spring’s playoffs. Connor Ingram hasn’t played for the Oilers yet, but that day should come between now and the deadline. Ingram has been inconsistent with the AHL Bakersfield Condors, but his defence has contributed to the chaos. Chances are that the Oilers will bring Ingram in for a significant look in the next couple of months.

After that, we should see a goalie acquisition. Look for a veteran, possibly with extensive playoff experience.

Possible goalie targets

The Oilers have been connected to several veteran goaltenders of various quality with unattractive contracts. Jordan Binnington of the St. Louis Blues has a $6 million cap hit in 2026-27, and Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins has two years left at $5.375 million.

The next tier is a group that also holds promise. This group is the waiver pool that every team had a shot at just before the season began. Michael DiPietro of the Boston Bruins (playing in Providence) and Nico Daws of the New Jersey Devils (now in Utica) are two players Oilers fans might remember being discussed at the end of training camp.

There’s a final tier that includes goalies with NHL experience who are playing their way back from injury in the minors. Ingram is part of this group, as is former Oilers goaltender Laurent Brossoit (now a member of the Chicago Blackhawks organization).

It all adds up to a mountain of maybes.

None of the published rumours (Binnington, Jarry) makes sense from a team-building point of view. Ideally, the Oilers would want a veteran goalie, with playoff success, who’s on an expiring contract and delivering a save percentage over .900 at five-on-five. How many goalies fit that description? Not many, and there are none who play goal for teams that are already on pace to miss the playoffs.

The play for Oilers general manager Stan Bowman is to wait for Ingram to ramp up in the AHL, and then give him several games to show how much of his previous level of ability is still there. Ingram has played well enough before in the NHL to be considered a quality goaltender and a legit solution to the problem. Bowman needs to find out if Ingram is the answer this year or possibly an option for next season.

DiPietro is the best of the AHL crew looking for an NHL gig, and he could be an option once the team figures out the best course for Ingram.

The options playing in the NHL are poor at this time. Jonathan Quick is having a fine year in a purely backup role, but he does tick off many boxes (Stanley Cup experience, expiring and inexpensive contract).

The best option from outside the organization remains Marc-Andre Fleury. He’s retired, and there’s no hint of any plans to return. However, the veteran goaltender would be a perfect fit for an Oilers team in need of a leader and a big personality who can ease the tension. Fleury may stay retired, but he ranks No. 1 among goalies who have played in the last 12 months. Bowman should pursue the idea.

Probably a bigger winger

Ideally, Bowman grabs Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres before the deadline. Edmonton’s right wingers, as things stand, will be Zach Hyman, Jack Roslovic and Matt Savoie come playoff time. That’s a solid group, with potential to help scoring on every line. However, the Oilers had far more size and physicality during last spring’s playoffs (Evander Kane, Corey Perry) than the current club possesses, so Tuch would be an ideal trade target. He’s 29, and on an expiring $4.75 million deal.

There are other candidates, but those players are on teams with a good chance to make the postseason (Anthony Mantha, Pittsburgh Penguins). Because power forwards with Tuch’s cap hit who are scoring well are unicorns at the deadline, it means the price for him will be high.

Right-shot defence

The Oilers have some options on defence this season, and Bowman may want to tweak the roster a little. The team’s top-four defencemen when everyone is healthy feature three left-handers (Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, Jake Walman) and one righty defender.

If Bowman decides to run Ekholm, Walman, Nurse on the left side, that would mean third-pairing lefty Brett Kulak could be moved out in a package for an upgrade on the right side. There’s time to see if right-handed defencemen Ty Emberson or Alec Regula can fill the second pairing opening (should Walman move), but the club might be wise to pick up a veteran on an expiring contract.

The ideal candidate is Artem Zub of the Ottawa Senators. He has an additional season on his contract (at a reasonable $4.6 million), but the investment would be worthwhile. He plays against tough competition and delivers impressive results. This year, Zub is playing 36 percent of his five-on-five time versus elite competition, via Puck IQ, for a Senators team that is near the basement in the Eastern Conference. He owns a 58 percent Dangerous Fenwick (like expected goals) at five-on-five, which is 4 percent better relative to his Ottawa defensive partners.

Zub would cost the moon, but he’s a clearly superior option who could be the key to winning the Stanley Cup next spring.

Summary

The Oilers’ defence is settling in now after a tough two months to start the season. One of the issues involves quality of competition. Here are the Oilers’ numbers versus elites so far this year.

All numbers five-on-five, via Puck IQ

Oilers fans are focused on goaltending, but the market isn’t there for a truly elite acquisition. There’s plenty of talk about Tuch, but the price will be dear. The target should be Zub. Bowman can move the needle substantially in an area of need and give this Oilers team a real chance to win the Stanley Cup in 2026.